Two teams that landed quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night reportedly tried to acquire Justin Herbert in the weeks leading up to the event.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Los Angeles Chargers turned down trade inquiries from both the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings prior to the draft. The two teams wanted to talk about a blockbuster package for Herbert.
Chargers general manager Joe Hertz confirmed that he “had some people ask me” about the availability of Herbert during the NFL Scouting Combine but said those rival executives “were quickly shot down.”
Herbert signed a 5-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers last offseason. That was before Los Angeles hired Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach, however. Teams may have felt there was a chance Harbaugh would be open to trading Herbert for a massive return and then drafting JJ McCarthy, who was the quarterback on Harbaugh’s national champion Michigan team last season.
The Patriots drafted Drake Maye with the third overall pick on Thursday night. The Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 and took McCarthy. Vikings general Kwesi Adofo-Mensah denied that his team inquired about Herbert and said he doesn’t know where the rumor came from.
Harbaugh heaped massive amounts of praise on McCarthy leading up to the draft. In doing so, he may have given rival teams the impression that his own new Pro Bowl quarterback was available via trade. But it does not sound like moving Herbert was ever a consideration for the Chargers.
